Sunday, December 07, 2008

Lease Ski Resort Get Millions to Run into Ground

When will the people of Pennsylvania revolt? Like the Whiskey Rebellion? Have people become so numbed by the billions the federal government spends and spends (borrowing from foreign governments because the country faces a huge deficit annually, in the trillions) that state spending seems like mere pennies from the taxpayers' of the state?

Enter the Laurel Mountain 'Park" Ski Area - a failure for some 50-years most likely because of nearby resorts that privately owned, operated more efficientely, and at a profit.

The Laurel Mountain complex had been donated decades ago to the state. In turn, the state leased the resort again and again, with Somerset Trust managing and the state continuously propped up the operation with more state monies. All for naught.

The 'Park' and Ski Area has been a failure. For at least 3 decades. There were a couple of years where the complex saw some activity, but those were years when there were unparalled snowfalls. In years where such was lacking, the Ski Area drew nobody to it.

Yet, the state may 'bargain' with Seven Springs, who now wishes to acquire a lease arrangement? Bargain to lease the resort to SS for pennies, meanwhile propping up the activities again and again with some oh my only $6.5 million? Of taxpayers monies, from somewhere, it is unclear where the millions will come from?

Are Pennsylvanians that oblivious to how their hard-earned money is being spent, and squandered?

Seven Springs Resort is perfectly capable to run its own operations a few miles from the Laurel Mountain Ski Resort. But now with the infusion of taxpayers' money it will continue to operation its own resort with the aid of taxpayers' money, and why should SS care if the LM Ski Resort fails yet again.

There is no incentive for SS to care since the taxpayers are not raising a ruckus.

When is enough, enough?

Make your voice heard. No more freebies, grants to Laurel Mountain Ski REsort via aid to Seven Springs. Close the place down. We don't need another White Elephant in southwestern Pennsylvania.

The trust company held the snow sports assets as a result of a foreclosure involving the former concessionaire of the 63-acre, state-owned ski area located on 64 acres within Laurel Mountain State Park along the Westmoreland and Somerset border.

The assets include a ski lodge, two chairlifts, snowmaking facilities, snow-grooming equipment and maintenance and storage buildings.

Skiing has not taken place at the site since the winter of 2004-2005

Seven Springs is in the midst of negotiating a deal with the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources on a long-term lease of the facility...

...Seven Springs' bargain with the state may eventually include a $6.5-million government grant. According to the resort's release announcing the deal with Somerset Trust,, "the (state) money is needed to restore the facilities on the mountain."

Our commitment has been to provide viewers with an effort to find truth on a variety of public policy issues, and relay findings, to expand a base of knowledge for viewer information and opinion-forming, no matter one's political affiliation.

We see danger for us all on three fronts:

An announced potential for a global financial crisis and projected global currency, global government, and new world order.

A coming to fruition plan for some 34 states to propose a uniform amendment or amendments to the U.S. Constitution which may automatically present an Article V Convention.

An organized effort by populists to support state legislatures to call an Article V Convention for any number of reasons.

We continue to work to present the kind of information to convince viewers to be ever vigilant. No matter whom we cite on our pages, when we find groups, organizations, political Parties, or notable individuals in support of any one of the above, we are wary, no matter if we agree on other issues of importance.

We have for instance cited Judge Napolitano's Freedom series on the Constitution broadcast on Fox Nation, yet we remain strongly wary of him due to his stated position to encourage Tea Party participants and others to push state legislatures to adopt a resolution to call for a 2nd Convention.

We cannot stress how important it is for your objection to be heard to your own state's legislature and Governor. According to tracking results from some notables including DeWeese and Gary Kreeps - barring it may be ruled previous resolutions adopted by an individual state and already on the formal-call list are voided due to non-uniformity or outdatedness - there may already be some 31 or 32 potentially valid Convention Calls.

34 state resolutions are the magic number which will initiate, basically automatically, a call for convening an Article V Convention.

This site also notes an essay by Gary Kreep, co-founder of the United States Justice Foundation. He too notes how very close an automatic Constitutional Convention call is given factors that even include some states' attempts to rescind former calls.

We also note an article by Kelleigh Nelson Saving the Republic Part 3 which disputes an automatic call is only some two states away. We also note Nelson's reference to a book we also have in our files which is among the best we've read.

Constitution In Crisis Joan Collins and Ken Hill

We'll list other material relied upon to come to the conclusion that despite how many states in actuality have standing convention calls, action is paramount today to thwart a potential gathering storm for support such as Rand Paul's and Judge Andrew Napalitano's.

Our hope is to be among those who continue to warn it is imperative a 2nd Constitutional Convention never happen. The mechanism for Congress to act on presenting its own Amendment or Amendments to the Constitution is already in place. The normal route has not been used all that much because it is known the Amendment or Amendments which are then ratified by the next step - states ratification process - will stand as an alteration of the U.S. Constitution unless and until a subsequent Congress mounts a similar process to repeal the Amendment.

So many others have long-standing in noting the absolute dangers of an Article V Convention.

Among them:

Phyllis Schlafly

McManus

John Birch Society

World Net Daily

We do not claim support with the named on every issue.

It is crucial we, the people of the United States prevent our representatives from enacting any measures that take away U.S. sovereignty and curb or curtail individual and unalienable rights.

You can help by becoming informed and using the power of the pen to attempt to convince such as Rand Paul and Judge Andrew Napolitano of these noted dangers of an Article V Constitutional Convention.

Climatologist Skeptic James Spann

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